Harnessing electroacupuncture: a promising strategy against sleep deprivation-exacerbated post-cardiac arrest brain injury
Abstract Cardiac arrest (CA)-induced post-cardiac arrest brain injury (PCABI) represents a critical contributor to global mortality and neurological disability. While sleep deprivation (SD) is recognized to aggravate neurological outcomes, its role in PCABI pathogenesis remains underexplored. This s...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15563-y |
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| author | Wenchao Fu Cong Hu Can Ma Shihua Lv Xianzhang Zeng Tingting Li Jiahui Chen Xiao Han Xin Tan Xuefei Li Wenzhi Li |
| author_facet | Wenchao Fu Cong Hu Can Ma Shihua Lv Xianzhang Zeng Tingting Li Jiahui Chen Xiao Han Xin Tan Xuefei Li Wenzhi Li |
| author_sort | Wenchao Fu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Cardiac arrest (CA)-induced post-cardiac arrest brain injury (PCABI) represents a critical contributor to global mortality and neurological disability. While sleep deprivation (SD) is recognized to aggravate neurological outcomes, its role in PCABI pathogenesis remains underexplored. This study investigated the mechanisms by which SD exacerbates PCABI and evaluated the neuroprotective efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA). A CA model was established in SD rats, followed by RNA sequencing and molecular analyses to assess brain injury biomarkers, synaptic plasticity, and calcium signaling pathways. SD disrupted circadian rhythms, amplified neuronal apoptosis, and suppressed glutamate transporter Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 (EAAT2) expression post-CA, correlating with worsened cognitive deficits. EA treatment significantly attenuated these effects, restoring EAAT2 levels, mitigating calcium overload, and enhancing synaptic integrity. Mechanistically, EA modulated the EAAT2/calcium signaling axis and rebalanced autonomic nervous activity, thereby reducing oxidative stress and neuronal excitotoxicity. These findings identify EAAT2 downregulation as a key mediator of SD-aggravated PCABI and establish EA as a dual-target intervention that rectifies glutamatergic dysregulation and autonomic dysfunction. The study provides translational insights into EA’s therapeutic potential for PCABI, particularly in populations with comorbid sleep disturbances. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c791c347f3a34ca0991ae0b9626cc02f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-c791c347f3a34ca0991ae0b9626cc02f2025-08-20T03:42:41ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-0115111810.1038/s41598-025-15563-yHarnessing electroacupuncture: a promising strategy against sleep deprivation-exacerbated post-cardiac arrest brain injuryWenchao Fu0Cong Hu1Can Ma2Shihua Lv3Xianzhang Zeng4Tingting Li5Jiahui Chen6Xiao Han7Xin Tan8Xuefei Li9Wenzhi Li10Heilongjiang Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Harbin Medical UniversityHeilongjiang Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Harbin Medical UniversityHeilongjiang Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Harbin Medical UniversityHeilongjiang Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Harbin Medical UniversityHeilongjiang Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Harbin Medical UniversityThe first affiliated hospital, Sun Yat-sen UniversityHeilongjiang Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Harbin Medical UniversityHeilongjiang Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Harbin Medical UniversityHeilongjiang Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Harbin Medical UniversityHeilongjiang Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Harbin Medical UniversityHeilongjiang Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Harbin Medical UniversityAbstract Cardiac arrest (CA)-induced post-cardiac arrest brain injury (PCABI) represents a critical contributor to global mortality and neurological disability. While sleep deprivation (SD) is recognized to aggravate neurological outcomes, its role in PCABI pathogenesis remains underexplored. This study investigated the mechanisms by which SD exacerbates PCABI and evaluated the neuroprotective efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA). A CA model was established in SD rats, followed by RNA sequencing and molecular analyses to assess brain injury biomarkers, synaptic plasticity, and calcium signaling pathways. SD disrupted circadian rhythms, amplified neuronal apoptosis, and suppressed glutamate transporter Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 2 (EAAT2) expression post-CA, correlating with worsened cognitive deficits. EA treatment significantly attenuated these effects, restoring EAAT2 levels, mitigating calcium overload, and enhancing synaptic integrity. Mechanistically, EA modulated the EAAT2/calcium signaling axis and rebalanced autonomic nervous activity, thereby reducing oxidative stress and neuronal excitotoxicity. These findings identify EAAT2 downregulation as a key mediator of SD-aggravated PCABI and establish EA as a dual-target intervention that rectifies glutamatergic dysregulation and autonomic dysfunction. The study provides translational insights into EA’s therapeutic potential for PCABI, particularly in populations with comorbid sleep disturbances.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15563-yCardiac arrestSleep deprivationElectroacupunctureBrain injuryEAAT2 |
| spellingShingle | Wenchao Fu Cong Hu Can Ma Shihua Lv Xianzhang Zeng Tingting Li Jiahui Chen Xiao Han Xin Tan Xuefei Li Wenzhi Li Harnessing electroacupuncture: a promising strategy against sleep deprivation-exacerbated post-cardiac arrest brain injury Scientific Reports Cardiac arrest Sleep deprivation Electroacupuncture Brain injury EAAT2 |
| title | Harnessing electroacupuncture: a promising strategy against sleep deprivation-exacerbated post-cardiac arrest brain injury |
| title_full | Harnessing electroacupuncture: a promising strategy against sleep deprivation-exacerbated post-cardiac arrest brain injury |
| title_fullStr | Harnessing electroacupuncture: a promising strategy against sleep deprivation-exacerbated post-cardiac arrest brain injury |
| title_full_unstemmed | Harnessing electroacupuncture: a promising strategy against sleep deprivation-exacerbated post-cardiac arrest brain injury |
| title_short | Harnessing electroacupuncture: a promising strategy against sleep deprivation-exacerbated post-cardiac arrest brain injury |
| title_sort | harnessing electroacupuncture a promising strategy against sleep deprivation exacerbated post cardiac arrest brain injury |
| topic | Cardiac arrest Sleep deprivation Electroacupuncture Brain injury EAAT2 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-15563-y |
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